Connecting link for tire chains



CONNECTING LINK FOR TIRE CHAINS Filed April 5, 1927 Herman Hanson.INVENTOR.

A TTORNEYS.

katented June 18, 119.29.

tiniraogsrarss HERMAN Hanson, or GARFIELD, MINNESOTA.

CONNECTING LINK FOR TIRE CHAINS.

Application filed. April 5,

This inventi on relates to a connecting link for tire chains and has forits primary object the construction of a connector that will hold thechain tautat all times about the tread of the tire and may, at the sametime, be readily manipulated to permit of removal of the chain.

lVith these and other objects in view my invention will be betterunderstood from a description of the same when taken in connection withthe accompanying drawing, wherein y Figure l is a view illustrating theconnecting link of my invention applied to a tire chain;

Figure 2 is a detail plan view of the connector;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the connector; I

Figure 4 is a side elevation.

Again referring to the drawing illustrating one of the manyconstructions of my invention, the numeral 1 designates a plurality ofchain sections interconnected in the Well known manner and held upon thetire 2 by my improved connector 3.

My improved connector 3 consists of clips 4, comprising pa 'allel limbs5 and a yoke 6 connecting the limbs together. I provide a coil spring 7coiled about the limbs and having its ends 8 engaged by hooks 9 formedon the ends of the'limbs.

Thus the spring may yieldably take up slack in the tire chain.

The connecting link embodying the invention comprises a flat sided body11. provided at one end with an opening for the engagement therein ofthe loop 6 of one oi? the clips 1- as shown in Figures 2, 3 and l of thedrawing, and the body is provided at its other end with a book 12 thebill of which is indicated by the numeral and is engageable by one ofthe links 16 of the tire chain 1. The hook further embodies a resilientkeeper plate 13 which is seated at one end in arecess 14: formed in oneside of the body 11 rearwardly of the bill of the hook 12 and secured inplace at its said end by a rivet, the said resilient keeper plate havingan extension spanning the space be tween the bill of the hook and thatportion of the body of the hook toward which it is presented, andseating flush in a recess 15 formed in the bill 15 of the book 12 atthat side thereof corresponding to the side of the body of the hook inwhich the recess 14 is formed, it being observed by r, ferenee taFigr-re2 that the 1921 Serial No, 181,171

outer side ol the keeper plate 1.3 is flush with or occupies the sameplane as the corresponding side or face of the hook body and. the billthereof. Normally the keeper plate assumes the closed position shown inFigure 2 in full lines so as to prevent accidental disengagement of thechain link 16, from the bill of the hook, but, being resilitmt it may besprung laterally as shown in dotted lines in the said figure so as toclear the bill of the hook and permit of engagement of the link 16there-g with, it being understood that after engagement of the link withthe hook the member 13 may be released and, through its resiliency,

will resume its normal position as shown in Figure 4 in which. positionit spans thespace in rear of the bill of the hook and thus pre ventsdisengagement of the link from the said bill.

I cla1m: I

1. In a chain connection of the class described, a hook membercomprising a fiat body portion and a bill, and a locking membercomprising a flat-sided, resilient plate disposed against one side ofthe body portion and the corresponding side of the bill of the hook andhaving its portion which is disposed against the body portion, securedthereto, its portion which is disposed against the bill of the hookbeing laterally displaceable, against its resiliency with respect to thebill to permit of engagement of a link or the like with said bill. I 2.In a chain connection of the class described, a hook member comprising aHat body portion and a bill, the body portion and bill being eachprovided in the same side with a recess, and a detent member comprisinga flat sided resilient plate disposed atone end flush within the recessin the body of the hook member, means securing the said. end of theplate in said recess, the other end portion of the plate normallyseating, by its resiliency, flush within the recess in the side of thebill of the hook, and the intermediateportion of the plate spanning thespace between the bed 1 of the hook and the bill of the hook andconstituting means to prevent disengagen'ient of a link from the hook. I3. In a chain connection of the class described, a hook membercomprising a flat body end t a no" i the bill and substantially on thelongitudinal center line of the hook member and constituting a shoulder,and a detent member comprising a flat-sided resilient plate disposed atone I end flush Within the recess in the body of the hook member, meanssecuring the said end of the plate 111 sa d recess, the other end porton ot the plate normally seating, by its resiliency, flush Within therecess in the side of the hill of the hook and with its end squarelyabutting said shoulder, the intermediate portion of the plate spanningthe space between the body of thehook and the bill of the hook andconstituting means to prevent disengagement of a link from the hook.

In testimonywhereof I affix mysignature.

HERMAN HANSON.

